The Concept of Barakah (Divine Blessings) in Islam

Transcription

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2 6 The Concept of Barakah (Divine Blessings) in Islam

3 X A Transcription of a Jumuah Bayaan of Moulana Naeem Motala

4 The Concept of Barakah (Divine Blessings) in Islam... The Concept of Barakah (Divine Blessings) in Islam What is Barakah? Definition of Barakah The Origin of the Word Barakah Mubaarak in the Qur'aan Dua for Barakah How Does A Person Acquire Barakah? Some Incidents Portraying Barakah Conclusion

5 7 All Praise Is due to Allah, The Most Beneficent, And The Most Merciful. We Praise the Almighty, and seek His Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah From the Evils of ourselves and the mischief of Our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides cannot be Misguided and whomsoever Allah misguides Cannot be guided. Peace and Blessings Be Upon the Final Messenger, Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, upon His family, and his Noble Companions. Aameen.

6 3 After praising Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala and sending Salutations upon Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, the Khutbah commenced with the recitation of the following verses of the Holy Qur aan : ت ب ارر كك اال ذ يي ب يی د هه اال م ل ك وو هھھھ و ع ل ى ك ل ش ي ء ق د يیر Blessed is He in whose hand is Dominion, and He is over all things Competent ~ Surah Mulk 67:1 ووقالل تعالى ف ت ب ارر كك الله ا أ ح س ن اال خ ال ق يین So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators ~ Surah Mu'minun 23:14 ووقالل تعالى وو ل و ا أ نن ا أ هھھھ ل اال ق ر ىى ا آم ن واا وو اات ق و اا ل ف ت ح ن ا ع ل يی هھ م ب ر ك اتت من اال سم اء وو االا رر ضض وو ل ك ن ك ذب واا ف ا خ ذ ن اهھھھ م ب م ا ك ان واا يی ك س ب و نن And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them Blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied (the messengers), so We seized them for what they were earning. ~ Surah Al A'raaf 7:96

7 The Concept of Barakah (Divine Blessings) in Islam Every single one of us, regardless of our profession, regardless of our age, young and old, regardless of our material possessions, experiences 24 hours in a day. Whether a person is a doctor or a street sweeper, a rich man or a poor man, whatever is his condition, every person gets 24 hours every day, in his life. We have all around us the progress and advancement that technology has made, machinery in the industries, appliances and gadgetry in our houses, the purpose of which is, that man can produce more in a limited period of time. But despite all these things at our disposal, we are not able to achieve what we want to. We all have tasks and desires that we want to accomplish but despite using all these modern inventions at our disposal we all complain that we do not see the desired effect for all the work we put in. Something is missing! The common complaint is that we don t have time... Previously when we wanted to make some kind of meal, perhaps it took an hour or longer. Today we have microwave ovens and stoves and it takes a few minutes to cook up a meal. So what happens with the balance of the time that we save? It s a common adage that Time is money. People say : It is not what you earn, it is what you save... It is not quantity, it is quality. But all of us complain that we do not have time. We do not see the desired effect of the work we put in. We cannot meet the demands of our clients and customers. Something is missing. What is missing? The answer is BARAKAH... BARAKAH! We are bereft of 'Divine Blessings'. What is Barakah? Barakah is a Divine Gift from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. He is the Bestower of Blessings. The source of all Barakah is Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala :

8 ت ب ارر كك اال ذ يي ب يی د هه اال م ل ك وو هھھھ و ع ل ى ك ل ش ي ء ق د يیر Blessed is He in whose hand is Dominion, and He is over all things Competent ~ Surah Mulk 67:1 Definition of Barakah `Ulama have defined Barakah as : ثبوتت االخيیر االا لهھي في االشيء Thubootul khayril ilaahi fish-shay : The bestowal of Divine Blessing from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala وواالبركة ~ هھھھي ثبوتت االخيیر االا لهھي في االشيء فا نهھا ا إذذاا حلت في قليیل كثرتهھ ووا إذذاا حلت في كثيیر نفع وومن ا أعظم ثمارر االبركة في االا مورر كلهھا ا إستعمالهھا في ططاعة الله عز ووجل Barakah is the attachment of Divine Goodness to a thing, so if it occurs in something little, it increases it. And if it occurs in something much, it benefits. And the greatest fruits of Barakah in all things is to use that Barakah in the obedience of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala The Origin of the Word Barakah The origin of the word Barakah in Arabic ب ر كك means to kneel down. The Arabs would call a camel that kneels or sits down as Barakah They would say Barakatil Ibilu ~ that the camel has knelt down. If one understands how a camel kneels and sits down, then he will understand how the meaning of Barakah has been derived from it's root word. The camel presses the front part of its body onto the ground (when it kneels down) and the camel gets sunken into the sand.

9 It becomes firm and stable and stays in its place and it is very difficult to get the camel to stand back up again. It fixes itself onto the ground and will not be easily moved or swept away. Similarly, Barakah is something that has stability. It is something that is steady, firm and unfluctuating. A pond in Arabic is called Birkah ب رك ة with the same root letters ba, ra and kaaf. Why? The earth has collected water into a pond so that the water is not wasted, it is not lost, but contained and preserved. This concept of Barakah : waz-ziyaadah Annamaa'oo وو االز يی ادد ةة االن ماء as the Arab scholars have mentioned in the dictionaries, as having plentiful or abundance, is one meaning of Barakah. Essentially what Barakah is all about, is that a person enjoys Divine Blessings from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, that remains with him. Barakah is the abundance of goodness and its continuity. It is long lasting. It does not disappear easily. One will derive great benefit from something that is Blessed. Mubaarak in the Qur'aan In the Qur'aan Shareef, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala mentions the word 'Mubaarak'. Wa Haaza Kitaabun Anzalnaahu Mubaarakun ~ It is a Blessed and Mubaarak Book, that we have revealed : وو هھھھ ذ اا ك ت ابب ا أ نز ل ن اهه م ب ارر كك And this (Qur'aan) is a Book We have revealed (which is) Blessed ~ Surah Al A'naam 6:155 and Shajaratun Mubaarakah ~ It is a Blessed tree (The olive tree) :

10 يی وق د م ن ش ج ر ةة مب ارر ك ة (the oil of) a Blessed olive tree, ~ Surah Noor 24:35 Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam is also Mubaarak. The Kitaab of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala is also Mubaarak. Whatever Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala blesses becomes Mubaarak. All of us desire this Barakah from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. So again, it is not just having plentiful. With little resources Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala blesses a person with so much that it not only suffices his needs, it goes even beyond his needs. An example : Two people have the same acumen and time, they have the same goods, but we find their Barakah varies. One is prosperous while the other is not. There are many reasons for this, but the one person is devoid of Barakah. He lacks the Divine Blessings of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. Dua for Barakah In the early hours of the morning we are advised to ask Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala for Barakah. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has taught us a morning Dua : االل هھ م ا إ ن ي ا أ س ا ل ك خ يی ر هھھھ ذ اا اال يی و مم ~ ف ت ح هھ وو ن ص ر هه وو ن ورر هه وو ب ر ك ت هھ وو هھھھ د ااهه وو ا أ ع وذذ ب ك م ن ش ر م ا ف يیهھ وو ش ر م ا ب ع د هه Allaahumma innee as-aluka khayra haa zal-yawm, Fathahu wa nasrahu wa noorahu, wa barakatahu, wa hudaahu, wa-a'oothu bika min sharri maafeehi wa sharri maa ba dahu O Allah, I ask You for the goodness of this day, its victory, its help, its light, its Blessings, and its guidance. I seek refuge in You from the evil that is in it and from the evil that follows it. ~ Sunan Abi Dawu

11 When someone gets married, what Dua do we give him, at the end of the Nikah? We make Dua for Barakah : ب ارر كك الله ل ك وو ب ارر كك ع ل يی ك Baarakallah laka wa Baaraka 'alayk Allah bless you and shower His Blessings (Barakah) on you ~Tirmidhi When we eat at a person s home we give the host a Dua : االل هھ م ب ارر كك ل هھ م ف يیم ا رر زز ق ت هھ م وو ااغ ف ر ل هھ م وو اارر ح م هھ م Allaahumma baarik lahum fee maa razaq-tahum, waghfir lahum war-hamhum "O Allah, grant him Your Blessings in his sustenance, forgive him and have mercy on him"~ Tirmidhi How Does A Person Acquire Barakah? 1 ~ Imaan and Taqwa The first fundamental ingredient for Barakah is Imaan (Faith), Taqwa (Piety) and good actions. The verse recited in the beginning ~ Walaw Anna Ahlal Qura Aamanoo :

12 وو ل و ا أ نن ا أ هھھھ ل اال ق ر ىى ا آم ن واا وو اات ق و اا And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, ~ Surah Al A'raaf 7:96 If the villagers, in all those towns around Makkah bring Imaan and they have Taqwa in Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, they obey Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, they bring the things Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala commanded them into their lives, they abide by the injunctions of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, and they refrain from all sins, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says in the Qur'aan : ل ف ت ح ن ا ع ل يی هھ م ب ر ك اتت من اال سم اء وو االا رر ضض We would have opened upon them Blessings from the heaven and the earth; ~ Surah Al A'raaf 7:96 Lafatahna Alayhim ~ We will open up upon them ~ Barakaatin Minas Samaai Wal Ardi ~ (Barakaat is plural of Barakah) ~ We will open for them Barakaat from the sky and the earth. They will get beneficial rain and the crops will grow. They will have fresh produce, abundant produce and it will be a hassle free life they will enjoy. Not a life, of anxiety, that will make them restless and unable to have a sound sleep, despite having abundant material possessions. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says if they have Imaan and Taqwa, We will open for them Barakah from the sky and the earth. But those people rejected Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala and He deprived them of that Barakah. In a Hadith-e-Qudsi, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says : Inni Iza Uti tu Radhitu ~ O my Bandah (Servants)! When I am obeyed I become happy with you Wa Iza Radhitu Baaraktu ~ When I become happy then I give Barakah.

13 Wa Laysa Li Barakatee Nihaayah ~ There is no limit to My Barakah. When Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala decides to give, then those Blessings come pouring down on the person. There is no limit. Why? Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala is the source of all Blessing. Tabaarakal lazi Biyadihil Mulk ~ He is the one who gave us our flesh and our bones; that created our bodies in the perfect, most beautiful form. What did He say after that? Fatabaarak-Allahu Ahsanul Khaliqeen ~ Barakah is only from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. The ability to grow is only from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. Productivity, being prosperous, having plentiful, not having a life of loss, wretchedness and misery, all this comes from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. Imaan, Taqwa and good deeds lead to Barakah. A person who is sinful and who disobeys Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, his life will be one of wretchedness and misery. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says in the Qur'aan : وو م ن ا أ ع ر ضض ع ن ذذ ك ر يي ف ا نن ل هھ م ع يیش ة ض نك ا And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life ~ Surah Taha 20:124 That person who turns away from my remembrance, for him is a miserable life, a very narrow life, a wretched life. He does not enjoy that peace of mind. He does not enjoy the material possessions that he has, even if it is in abundance. But his life is narrow, it is tight. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala deprives such a person of Barakah. `Ulama have explained, the opposite of Barakah is L`anat (Curse) from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala protect us! 2 ~ Joining FamilyTies Another way of a person who wishes to gain Barakah in his Rozi (Sustenance), is by joining family ties. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said :

14 Anyone who wishes to gain Barakah in his provisions (or his life-span), he should join ties with family members. ~Bukhari A person may have little, but bounties come to be great. One morsel of food goes down his system and he produces so much of energy, that enables him to become a loyal servant to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala gives a person a long life in which he is obedient to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. So even if a person does not have a long life span, whatever his lifespan is, in that limited lifespan he becomes an obedient servant of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala. Then we say such a person has Barakah in his life. Barakah in a Persons Time ~ In a short period of time a person produces volumes of books. We have seen this in the lives of the Salafus Saaliheen (the scholars of the past), eg : Imam Nawawi Rahmatullahi Alayh. The amount of Kitaabs he produced is mind-boggling. Like that, most of our elders and Akaabir, in a short period of time, produced so much work. They valued time. They had Barakah in their time. Barakah comes in our life, in our business, in our wealth, in our wives, in our children, in our A'maal, in our deeds, in our knowledge So when a person joins family ties, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala blesses him with Barakah and Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala gives him a long lifespan. Whatever his life span is, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will give him the full Blessings of his life. 3 ~ Giving Sadaqah (Charity) Giving Sadaqah (Charity) is another way of acquiring Barakah. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says in the Qur'aan : يی م ح ق الله اال رب ا وو يی ر ب ي اال صد ق اتت Allah destroys interest and gives increase for charities ~ Surah Al Baqarah 2:276 Yamhaqullaahur Riba Wa Yurbis Sadaqaat ~ Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala destroys interest and increases your Sadaqah. In other words the effects of that Sadaqah are that there is Barakah in the remainder of your wealth. You took

15 out money and you gave it to somebody. Your eyes see your bank balance decreasing, but Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala's promise is ~ Yurbis Sadaqaat. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will increase the wealth that you have. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will increase that balance. You may not see your money increasing but Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will enable you to fulfill all your tasks, all your responsibilities, and all your requirements will be sufficed with the money that you have. On the contrary, (Yamhaqullahur Riba) you are indulging in usury and interest, outwardly you are gaining, your bank balance is rising, but Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says that He will destroy that wealth. You will be deprived of Barakah. How many a rich person has complained: I have all the material possessions in the world, still whatever money I have got is just going into medical expenses, accidents, operations, sickness, it is just being wasted... and he is not enjoying his wealth. But the person who has half a loaf of bread and some milk, is enjoying a comfortable life, he has Barakah. 4 ~ Trading Early in the Morning Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said : االل هھ م ب ارر كك لا مت ي ف ي ب ك ورر هھھھ ا Allahumma Baarik li Ummati Fee Bukuriha O Allah! Give Barakah to my Ummah in the early hours of the morning. ~ Sunan Ibn Majah A Sahabi, Hazrat Sakhar bin Wada'ah Radiyallahu Anhu, who was a merchant, used to say, I would dispatch my caravans for trade and commerce early in the morning and they would return bringing lots of profits, prosperous, with lots of gains. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam made Dua, O Allah! Bless my Ummah with Barakah in the early part of their morning... This is a time for Barakah.

16 5 ~ Seeking Repentance Another way of gaining Barakah is through Istighfaar (Repentance). ق الل رر س ولل الله ص ل ى الله ع ل يی هھ وو س ل م " م ن ل ز مم االا س ت غ ف ارر ج ع ل الله ل هھ م ن ك ل ض يیق م خ ر ج ا وو م ن ك ل هھھھ م ف ر ج ا وو رر زز ق هھ م ن ح يی ث لا يی ح ت س ب " Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon ~ Sunan Abi Dawud Man Lazimal Istighfaar : That person who adheres, who clings to Istighfaar, he seeks repentance from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, he makes Taubah, he has a penitent heart, he turns to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, and says : Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, he is sincere in his repentance, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala says : We will make an opening for him from all grief and worry and sorrow. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, for such a person, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will dispel his worries, his anxieties and from all difficult situations Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will make an opening for him, and Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will provide for him from unseen sources. This is a Hadith from Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. We have full Yaqeen (Faith) in the words of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. An example of providing from 'unseen sources' is where Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam had once gone to the homes of all his wives and he was extremely hungry and he enquired of his wives if they had anything with them and each replied in the negative. This was the condition in the homes of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam then visited his daughter Sayyidina Fathima Radiyallahu Anha thinking that perhaps she had something. She said she can take an oath she has nothing. She herself was starving. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : No problem, and left.

17 Shortly after that, a neighbour of Sayyidina Fathima Radiyallahu Anha sent for her two rolls and a little bit of meat. She became elated. Not because she was going to have a sumptuous meal, but, because she will put it away, and save it for her beloved father. She sends her two sons Hazrat Hassan Radiyallahu Anhu and Hazrat Husain Radiyallahu Anhu, to call for their grandfather. He comes and asks : What is it?. She says : O my father some food has come... Not much, a little bit of bread and some meat. I desire that I should give it to you. He says : Open the Tiffin (Container) that you have. She opens it and there is abundant food in it, more than what was sent. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam asked : O Fathima! What is this? You had said just a little bit food has come. She looked at it and was surprised, and the answer she gave her father made Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam very happy. This is the same reply that Mariam Alaihas Salaam gave when Zakariyya Alayhis Salaam asked, O Mariam, from where is this coming to you?, and she replied : ق ال ت هھھھ و م ن ع ند الله Qaawlat huwa min indillah This is from my Allah ~ Surah Al Imraan 3:37 See how Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala provides from unseen sources. This is Barakah. 6 ~ Partaking of Sehri Hazrat Anas bin Malik narrated that : Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that whenever we are fasting, ت س حر وواا ف ا نن ف ي اال سح ورر ب ر ك ة "Partake of Sehri, for indeed there is a Blessing in the Sehri." ~ Tirmidhi Tasahharu ~ Make Sehri... Why? Because there is Barakah in Sehri. And we have seen it. The entire day we do not feel hungry because of the Sehri.

18 7 ~ Reciting Bismillah When we partake of meals Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : س م الله Sammillah - Say Bismillah ~ Bukhari There will be Barakah for you. 8 ~ Eating Together ق الل رر س ولل الله ص ل ى الله ع ل يی هھ وو سل م " ك ل واا ج م يیع ا وو لا ت ف رق واا ف ا نن اال ب ر ك ة م ع اال ج م اع ة " Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : Eat together and do not eat separately, for the Blessing is in being together. ~ Sunan Ibn Majah Another means of getting Barakah is by eating together. Do not eat separately. If you eat separately you will never be satiated. You will always remain hungry. The moment you eat together your stomach will get full. 9 ~ Eating from the Sides of the Plate ق الل رر س ولل الله ص ل ى الله ع ل يی هھ وو س ل م " ا إ نن اال ب ر ك ة ت ن ز لل وو س ط االط ع امم ف ك ل واا م ن ح اف ت يی هھ وو لا ت ا ك ل واا م ن وو س ط هھ " Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : "Blessing descends upon food in its middle, so eat from the sides of the vessel and do not eat from its middle."~ At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has also specifically mentioned that

19 among the Adaab (Etiquettes) of eating is that when you have some meals, (e.g. if there is rice) then do not take from the centre of the plate. Take from the sides because he (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) explains in the Hadith, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala's Barakah comes down in the middle (of the plate), and from there it diffuses to every grain and every type of food you have. If you are going to eat immediately from the middle (of the plate) then the Barakah will be over. But let that Barakah pass onto every grain of food. 10 ~ Licking One's Fingers and Cleaning the plate ق الل رر س ولل الله ص ل ى الله ع ل يی هھ وو س ل م " ا إ ذذ اا ا أ ك ل ا أ ح د ك م ف ل يی ل ع ق ا أ ص اب ع هھ ف ا ن هھ لا يی د رر يي ف ي ا أ يی ت هھ ن اال ب ر ك ة " Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : When any one of you eats food he should lick his fingers, for he does not know in what part of the food sticking to his fingers the Blessing lies. ~ Sahih Muslim Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that you should lick your fingers after your meals and clean the plate. It is a Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Why? Because he says, You do not know in which portion the blessing lies. There may just be the effects of some gravy on your fingers, but if Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala has got Barakah in that, then that is going to be beneficial to you. 11 ~ Making Salaam when Entering the Home ق الل ا أ ن س ب ن م ال ك ق الل رر س ولل الله ص ل ى الله ع ل يی هھ وو س ل م " يی ا ب ن ى ا إ ذذ اا دد خ ل ت ع ل ى ا أ هھھھ ل ك ف س ل م يی ك ونن ب ر ك ة ع ل يی ك وو ع ل ى ا أ هھھھ ل ب يی ت ك " Hazrat Anas bin Malik Radiyallahu Anhu reported: Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : to me, "Dear son, when you enter your house, say As- Salamu 'Alaikum to your family, for it will be a Blessing both to you and to your family." ~Tirmidhi

20 Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, When you enter your home say As-salaamu'alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh! There will be Barakah for you O Anas, and for your household (your family). What an easy way of gaining Barakah. That we enter our homes and make Salaam. Even in the words of Salaam, As-salaamu'alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh, we are saying, Allah s Mercy be upon you. Allah s Blessings be upon you. So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala blesses you also. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala gives you Barakah. Some Incidents Portraying Barakah 1 Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam was going with his Sahabah Radiyallahu Anhum and it was time for the `Asr Salaat and they only had one container of water to make Whudu (Ablution). The Sahabah Radiyallahu Anhum were worried. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam took the utensil containing the water and placed his Mubaarak (Blessed) fingers into the utensil and the Sahabah Radiyallahu Anhum say they saw a spring of water gushing forth. All the Sahabah Radiyallahu Anhum performed ablution with that water. This is a Mu jizah (Miracle) and also shows Barakah. 2 Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu was once asked by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam : What do you have with you?. He said : A little leather bag or purse in which I have got a few dates. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said : Give me those dates.

21 Then Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam made Dua and told Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu not to open this bag, not to turn it upside down and not to empty its contents. Whatever is inside, leave it inside. Whenever he is hungry he should merely take his fingers, open this bag and take from there. There will be Barakah for you. Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu had this bag tied with a belt around his waist and says : Wallah! Whenever I was hungry I would put my hand into this little purse and I would eat from it. I never opened and checked how much was in there. I never counted those dates. I did this during the time of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. I did it during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr Radiyallahu Anhu (whose Khilafah was two and a half years), during the time of Hazrat `Umar Radiyallahu Anhu (whose Khilafah was ten years) so many years had gone by. Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu says that during the time of Hazrat Uthmaan Ghani Radiyallahu Anhu he was also enjoying those dates. But the day that Hazrat Uthmaan Radiyallahu Anhu was assassinated and was martyred (he became Shaheed on that day), I searched for that little purse but it had disappeared. He says Linnaasi Hammun Wa Lee Hammaani ~ People were grieving that day, but they had only one grief. But I (Hazrat Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu), had two griefs : Hammul Jiraab ~ the grief of the lost bag of dates and Wa Hammu Sheykhi Uthmana ~ the assassination of Hazrat Uthmaan Radiyallahu Anhu. 3 If we read the Seerah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam we have observed the incident of Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha, the foster mother of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. All the other wet~nurses refused to take him in their care, as he would be of no benefit to them. His family would not be able to afford a wet~nurse. The other ladies could get babies of rich families, but Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha opted for this orphan. Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha took him into her care. He was gifted with Blessings from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, and it occurred instantly.

22 The camel that Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha was using to transport her to the countryside where she resided, was going very slowly. The others were getting far ahead and they were becoming annoyed with her. But the moment Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha took this Blessed child and placed him on her camel, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala, blesses it with Barakah and it began to speed. It surpassed all the other camels. Hazrat Halima Sa adiah Radiyallahu Anha could not give milk. She was weak. There was drought. The moment she took this baby to suckle it, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala Blessed her with so much milk that even her other child began to drink her milk. The moment they entered her home, which was a simple dwelling, it became full of Barakah and it began to produce much more food. The sheep and goats became healthy, so much so, that those people who refused to take Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam from Makkah began taking those goats for milking. 4 Hazrat Anas Radiyallahu Anhu was a youngster and a Khadim (Servant) of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. On one occasion Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam made a Dua for him : Allahumma Akthir Maalahu - O Allah! Increase the wealth of Anas. It is said that the orchid of Hazrat Anas Radiyallahu Anhu would produce fruit twice a year whilst all the other orchids would only produce fruit once a year. This is Barakah. This is the Blessings of the Dua of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Hazrat Anas Radiyallahu Anhu himself mentioned that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala gave him a very long life and he had so many children and grandchildren that he himself buried more than 100 of his children and grandchildren. This is the long life of Barakah that Hazrat Anas Radiyallahu Anhu enjoyed. A long life on its own, does not necessarily mean it is a life of Barakah.

23 Conclusion Hence, if a person wants Barakah, he should have (1) Imaan, (2) he must have Taqwa and do righteous deeds, (3) he must make Istighfaar, (4) join family ties, (5) he must give Sadaqah, (6) he must do his work in the early hours of the morning, (7) he must live according to the Sunnah (as has been explained) and even (8) by making Salaam. However, the important thing is to stay away from sins, because sins obliterate all Barakah. Stay away from interest dealings. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will then give us Barakah in our lives, in our time, in our actions, in our properties and in our businesses. A person will then enjoy a healthy and sound life. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will protect him from illnesses. His mind will think and function well. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala is the source of Barakah. Read the morning duas for Barakah and we will see Barakah in our lives and Barakah in our children... They will become prosperous, not only in Dunya (in this world) but in the Aakhirah (Hereafter) as well. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala will guide them and make them pious. They will become the coolness of our eyes. My dear brothers and elders, may Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta ala give us Barakah in our time so that we may listen to what has been imparted and implement it in our lives.

24 ووا آخرددعواانا اانن االحمد 3 رربب االعالميین وواالصلاةة وواالسلامم علي سيیداالمرسليین وو خاتم االنبيیيین وو حبيیب رربب االعالميین وو علي االهھ وو ااصحابهھ وو ااتباعهھ ااجمعيین برحمتك يیا ااررحم االرااحميین All praise is due to Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds, May His Eternal Peace and Blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers, the Seal of the Prophets, the Beloved to the Lord of the Worlds, Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, and Upon his Family and Companions, and all those who followed him, with Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. s

25 This discourse can be accessed online and downloaded here : towards reformation of the soul ARTICLES ADVICES AUDIO BOOKS DU'AA HADITH ISLAAH NAATHS QUR'AAN SAHABAH RA SEERAH TAFSEER ZIKR of Moulana Naeem Motala can be accessed and downloaded here :